NEW YORK (iiNNS) — A loyal and devotional group of Filipino-Americans in the Lower East Side of Manhattan will celebrate their 26th annual “Fiesta!” in observance of the feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help on Saturday, June 30, 2018.

The celebration starts at 5:30 p.m. with the Novena to our Mother of Perpetual Help followed by Mass, which is then followed by an inside-the-church procession with the recitation of the Holy Rosary after which there will be a salu-salo (fellowship) at the church’s parish hall (the Monsignor Farricker Hall) where they will conduct a full program replete with a raffle drawing for valuable prizes.

The celebration will take place at the Church of the Epiphany on Second Avenue at 22nd Street, organized by the Church of the Epiphany Filipino Committee, a group of Filipino-American parishioners of the Epiphany Parish who started this annual devotion back in 1992.

The devotion is anchored on a weekly Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help prayed every Wednesday at the Church after the 12:10 p.m. Holy Mass.

At the Church of the Epiphany, there is a miniature shrine installed for the framed icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.

The principal celebrant of the “Fiesta” Mass will be Rev. Fr. Anthony Gonzales, who is currently the Parochial Vicar of the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, in Queens Village, N.Y.

The concelebrant will be Rev. Fr. Erno Diaz.

The music ministers (organists) are Carole Borlaza for the Novena and Rey Lauron for the Mass.

The Novena reader will be Norrie Cornelio.

The Epiphany Filipino Committee is headed by community leader Jose Ramos, as chairman; with another community leader, Lolita Compas, as vice chairwoman; the secretary is Salve Stamatelaky; and the treasurer is Nieva Cruz.

EFC counts with a membership of more than 40 individuals among who are Filipino and Filipino-American community leaders, professionals, like doctors, nurses, engineers and others.